City Council plans vote on budget

The Goldsboro City Council is scheduled to vote on its annual budget Monday, after several budget work sessions and a few modifications.

Those modifications include postponing a downtown survey, increasing city cemetery fees and giving an additional $2,500 to the Wayne County Museum.

The proposed budget contains no tax increases, but sewer rates will go up 15 percent.

The $39 million proposed budget is a 7 percent increase over last year's budget, which was $36.3 million.

Funeral services, which includes opening and closing graves, will increase from $100 to $200. That increase still leaves Goldsboro's cemetery fees less than Wilson, Kinston, Jacksonville or New Bern, according to city officials.

Lloyd Massey, president of the Old Waynesborough Commission, asked the council for additional money for the historical village. Massey asked if the $10,000 donation from the city could be increased to $20,000.

He said that the city had given $20,000 until a year or so ago, when it was cut to $10,000.

One of the projects that the commission is involved in, he said, is a trail from Tennessee to the coast that will run through the area.

The council discussed Massey's request Monday and agreed to continue with the $10,000. The board suggested that City Manager Richard Slozak look at whether there was any money available through Travel & Tourism.

He said that the money for Travel & Tourism had been used to increase overnight stays in hotels through advertising and various packages.

"Maybe some funds could be made available for projects, events or festivals," he said. "It would have to be competitive."

Slozak said that some attractions in the area might need that extra boost, besides just advertising.

The board agreed to look into the possibility of creating competitive grants that could help one local attraction a year.

In other matters Monday night, the council will do the following:

*Set a public hearing for a satellite annexation petition from Friendswood LLC. The property is on the southeast corner of U.S. 70 West and Martin Road.

*Set a public hearing on a contiguous annexation request from United Entertainment for the northeast side of Tenth Place between Norwood Avenue and Englewood Drive.

*Consider condemning a dilapidated house at 603 Isler St.

*Decide whether to approve a preliminary subdivision plat, site and landscape plan for an apartment complex, Gra-Lan Place. The property is on the south side of New Hope Road and the west side of Central Heights Road.

Monday's meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall on Center Street.